president obama was in the oval office when he got the word that mubarak was stepping down. the president watched the celebrations in cairo on television and a short time later made his first public statement. chip reid is at the white house tonight. chip, it's been a very long week and the president seems to be very happy to see it end and end this way. >> reporter: oh, yes, katie. after the dangerously unpredictable events of yesterday, today the president sounded deeply relieved as he praised the egyptian people for their courage. >> the people of egypt have spoken, their voices have been heard and egypt will never be the same. >> reporter: but while the euphoria continued in egypt, president obama had a warning that there will be difficult days ahead. >> this is not the end of egypt's transition. it's a beginning. >> reporter: the beginning of a long, arduous path to democracy. with the first stage of that path now controlled by egypt's military leaders. the president had a message for them: that they are only a temporary caretaker. >> that means protecting the rights of